Biotech Updates

Environmental Biosafety Assessment of Biotech Blue Gum in Tsukuba

May 22, 2013

University of Tsukuba scientist Xiang Yu and colleagues conducted environmental biosafety assessments of three transgenic lines of woody plant blue gum (Eucalyptus globulus) that has choline oxidase (codA) gene which confers different levels of salt tolerance. The assessment include investigations on the beneficial or harmful effects of the transgenic lines on other nearby plants and a survey on the soil microorganisms in the rhizosphere, which have shown practicability in other transgenic plants.

Results of the assessments showed that there were no significant difference between the transgenic plants and non-transgenic plants in terms of impact to surrounding vegetation and the soil microbe community. These results were used to obtain approval for planting of blue gum in Type I field trial in Tsukuba.

Read the research article at http://www.wdc-jp.biz/pdf_store/jspcmb/pdf/pb30_1/30_73.pdf.